Best Friends
by The 11th Doctor's Mermaid Sam
Summary: They are splintering and nothing can stop them. One decision splits them up and now Arthur is sinking further and further while watching Merlin's happiness grow. MPREG.


**So Thank you for reading this, I really appreciate it =D**

**Important Information – This is set when Arthur is King, and Merlin is the Court Sorcerer. Merlin and Arthur had a relationship before Arthur got married, and Merlin wouldn't be with him when he was with somebody else.**

**I think that's it now, so on with the story.**

**Hope you enjoy it =D **

XXXXX

Arthur sat by the bedside of his best friend, waiting for him to wake up. He had been kidnapped from Camelot two weeks previous and Arthur hadn't slept while trying to get him back. Obviously, the bandits didn't know what hit them when Arthur, Gwaine and Lancelot had ridden out after them.

And now Merlin was back in Camelot, albeit, unconscious.

Arthur sighed, he needed to get some sleep, but he could tell that that was just a far off dream at the moment.

At that moment, the sorcerer's eye flickered, and Arthur shot up, leaning over his head. 'Merlin, how do you feel?'

'Ar...thur?' he mumbled, with his eyes shut.

'Yes, it's me.' Arthur said, smiling slightly.

'Where are we?' Merlin asked, opening his eyes, where Arthur saw the golden tint to the blue irises.

'We're back in Camelot now.' Arthur said, picking up a jug of water and pouring it into a glass, 'We, Lancelot, Gwaine and I, rescued you from the bandits.'

Merlin shook his head, 'They didn't want me.'

'Then who?' Arthur asked, 'Your baby?'

Merlin nodded. 'I am Emrys. Any child born from me would be incredibly powerful, especially if the other parent also had magical powers.'

'And does the other parent of this child have any powers?' Arthur asked.

'No.' Merlin said. 'The other father of this child is mortal. Just like you.'

Arthur nodded, before inclining his head towards Merlin's slightly swollen stomach, 'Keep this one safe, okay?'

Merlin nodded, his eyes drooping, 'Always Arthur, always.'

Arthur stayed until Merlin was fully asleep before leaving.

Gwaine and Lancelot accosted him as he left the room, each asking different questions about Merlin.

'Just go in and see him,' He had said eventually, 'just be quiet because he's asleep.'

Arthur carried on walking after that. Just walking out of Merlin's home, and not particularly caring about anything.

XXXXX

Later that night, as Gwen slept in their bed, Arthur sat at the table, staring into a glass of mead.

And with the alcohol came long repressed memories.

He remembered Merlin before his marriage. Remembered his words.

'_I can provide you with a heir if that is what you need. Magic can do a lot of things.'_

At the time Arthur had refused, because what if what happened to his mother happened to Merlin. Unlike his father, Arthur had the knowledge of the magical laws. And he couldn't lose Merlin.

'_Having a child between us wouldn't be like your parents having you. Your parents used Magic against its will, and tried to break the first law. I wouldn't be doing that. I am Magic, Magic chose me.'_

'_I AM NOT TAKING THE RISK MERLIN!'_

And that was how their relationship had slowly dissolved. It had happened slowly but surely, and nobody had noticed at first. Only realising when their friendship was n the rocks and Merlin was becoming friends with the Knights.

That was when Arthur found out that Merlin had been dating one of the Knights. And to Arthur's greatest chagrin, he had never figured out which Knight he had been going out with. And now Merlin, his best friend, his only friend, his friend that hadn't really been his friend for a while, was pregnant, and happy with this unknown Knight, and Arthur was sinking further and further down into unhappiness.

Arthur drank the rest of his mead before getting into the bed.

XXXXX

Merlin awoke feeling happy. He was back in Camelot, and his child was still safe. He stroked the small bump that had taken up residence in his abdomen, and smiled.

The door to his room opened, and Merlin looked up to see Gwaine entering the room.

'Hello Darling,' Gwaine smirked, and Merlin laughed.

'Gwaine,' Merlin said, through his laughter.

The man in question sat down next to their bed, and said, 'Are you both ok?'

Merlin nodded, and pulled Gwaine's hand to his stomach and placed his hand there, when there was a small movement underneath.

'Was that?' Gwaine asked in shock.

'Yes, Merlin whispered. 'That was our baby.'

XXXXX

Arthur watched as Merlin's stomach grew, and with it, Merlin's smile.

Arthur watched as Merlin became closer with Gwaine.

Arthur watched as Merlin stopped using as much magic.

Arthur watched, but he didn't see.

XXXXX

Merlin was sitting on a chair in his home when Gwaine entered.

'Merlin,' Gwaine called, 'why have you stopped using magic?'

'Magic can be harmful to use in later pregnancy.' Merlin said tiredly.

Gwaine nodded, 'I know that you miss using magic.'

Merlin nodded. 'It's just that I've never really gone without it, I mean, I've had it since I was born but I would gladly give it up to keep our child safe.'

Gwaine nodded, walking to the chair and pulling Merlin into a hug, 'You are a braver man than I.'

XXXXX

Gwen fell pregnant in Merlin's last month of pregnancy, and suddenly Arthur found himself seeing Merlin an awful lot more. Not that he wasn't unhappy about that, he was near ecstatic. So now at least once, most likely twice, a day, Arthur found himself with Merlin and Gwen, talking about their children.

'What are you hoping for Merlin?' Gwen asked one day.

Merlin looked up at her, with that ever present smile, and said 'I am hoping for a boy, for if he looks like his other father, he will be amazing, and unstoppable, although, he is hoping for a girl, somebody that he can take care of and treat well.' He smiled off into the distance, and seemed to shake himself free of his thoughts, 'What of you and Arthur?'

Gwen smiled happily, 'I am hoping for a girl, whereas Arthur is wishing for a boy, both so that he has a heir, and that he has somebody that he can teach his skills to.'

Merlin laughed, 'Arthur will be happy with either, if I know him correctly.'

'You are right of course,' Gwen laughed slightly.

'I am still here you know.' Arthur snapped.

Merlin nodded to him, and said, 'I will take my leave now; it is time to get back home.'

Gwen nodded, looking between her husband and her friend, and said, 'Of course my friend, I will see you in the next few days.'

Merlin nodded, 'I am busy tomorrow, but I will see you the day after.'

Gwen smiled and closed the door as Merlin left, before turning on Arthur. 'There is no need to snap at him.'

Arthur stared at his wife. 'He is still my manservant despite his condition.'

'But he is not at the moment.' Gwen said sadly.

'Come to bed Gwen.' Arthur said quietly.

XXXXX

Merlin lay in bed that night, with Gwaine at his side, and tossed and turned.

He had finally gotten into a comfortable position when Gwaine whispered in his ear sleepily, 'What is wrong my love?'

'I can't get comfortable enough to sleep, Merlin whispered.

'You are near the end now,' Gwaine said sleepily, 'it's going to get uncomfortable.'

Merlin laid his head in Gwaine's chest ad closed his eyes, 'It'll be over soon.'

'Yes,' Gwaine promised, 'yes it will.'

XXXXX

Merlin wrapped an arm around his stomach and grimaced.

Pain was coming, thick and fast, and all Merlin could do was scream.

Magic reached its peak in the magician and he glowed gold, before the child he had carried within himself for the last nine months appeared in his arms, and he sighed, both in pain and in happiness.

The baby squirmed, and Merlin grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around his son. He smiled at the small face and the baby in his arms giggled, before yawning.

Merlin stood up gingerly, and walked slowly to his bedroom, to place the child on the bed.

XXXXX

Gwaine got into Merlin's home the next day to the sound of a baby crying.

'You had the baby.' He stated as he saw Merlin when he entered the room, holding their child.

'How did you get thin again so quickly?' Gwaine asked in amazement, before scooping the child out of Merlin's arms and looking at his baby.

'It's a boy.' Merlin said before Gwaine could ask.

'You got your wish then darling,' Gwaine smirked.

Merlin laughed, 'I need to show him to Gwen, because I haven't left here yet.'

'When was he born?' Gwaine asked, rocking the child in his arms.

Merlin looked at him again, 'Late yesterday night, it could have been this morning.'

Gwaine nodded, and handed the child to him, before saying, 'I think it is time to reveal ourselves.'

'You mean you're ready,' Merlin smirked, 'I agree.'

Gwaine smiled gently, before taking off the chainmail which he really didn't like, and dropping his pact by the door, and offering his arm to Merlin, who laughed.

XXXXX

Gwaine and Merlin walked into the throne room, to see Arthur and Gwen staring at each other.

'Are we interrupting something?' Merlin asked, both awkwardly and laughing slightly.

Merlin gathered that they were when Arthur said 'Yes,' while Gwen said 'No.'

'It doesn't matter anyway,' Gwen said stiffly, 'My opinion doesn't matter seeing as my previous position was that of a servant!'

'That is not what I meant!' Arthur yelled.

'We'll just be going now,' Gwaine said to the two arguing monarchs, 'Come on darling, we have to show this one around to other people too.'

The monarchs stopped arguing and had both turned to stare at Gwaine and Merlin in shock.

'You had the baby!' Gwen said smiling happily once more, rushing towards them.

'It's a boy,' Merlin smiled at his friend. 'He was born late last night or early this morning.'

'What have you called him?' Gwen asked, as Merlin passed her the baby.

Merlin looked to Gwaine and looked back to Gwen, 'We decided to call him Myrnin.'

Arthur, trying to keep his sadness contained, said, 'A strong name for a strong child.'

Merlin smiled at him happily, 'Thank you Arthur.'

Then he turned his cold gaze on Gwaine, and said, 'this is Myrnin's other father?'

'I am.' Gwaine answered back, just as coldly.

'Take care of them Gwaine.' Arthur instructed him, approaching him and whispering in his ear. 'They mean a lot to this kingdom.'

'I am.' Gwaine answered again.

'Good.' Arthur said before taking the child from his wife, ad holding him close to his chest. 'He has your eyes Merlin, but you were right for once, he does look more like Gwaine.'

Merlin nodded, smirking. 'Something he will most likely use for his advantage, just like his father does.'

Gwaine laughed, clapping Merlin on the back and said, 'You're getting the hang of it now.'

Merlin smirked at him, 'I know.'

'Where are you going now?' Gwen asked, as Arthur handed the child back to its youngest father.

'We were planning to travel to Ealdor and stay for a few days before returning.' Gwaine answered, 'For Hunith and Gaius to see the child.'

Arthur nodded, 'I will get two horses ready for you tomorrow, it will give you time to rest today.'

'Thank you,' Merlin said, inclining his head towards the King, 'I will see you again soon.'

Gwen nodded, 'Good luck Merlin.'

XXXXX

Arthur watched Merlin, Gwaine and Myrnin set off early the next morning.

_In seven months he would have a child like that_, Arthur found himself thinking, before looking over at his sleeping wife. He sighed and looked at the trio in the courtyard. Merlin looked truly happy now, before Gwaine and the baby, he'd been closed off, and broody. Arthur looked away and refused to look out the window until he was sure he was gone.

He was certain of one thing in his life now.

That child was going to haunt him for the rest of his life, both for his mistakes and for his failures.

XXXXX

The trio made it to Ealdor three days after setting off, due to the baby needing sleep more than adults did.

Merlin's mother rushed out of the hut she lived in and hugged her son tightly. 'I have missed you my son.'

Gwaine climbed off of the other horse and brought their child forward.

'Mother,' Merlin said, 'this is Gwaine, and this,' he said, handing her the child, 'is our son.'

Hunith stared in wonder at her grandson, before looking at her son, 'you should have told me before he was born Merlin.'

'I'm sorry Mother,' Merlin said, shifting his eyes to the floor.

She smiled sadly, 'it doesn't matter now Son, let's just take him into the warm, so that he doesn't get ill.'

Merlin smiled, and Gwaine stood next to him, letting him hold his hand for strength, 'Gaius is next,' Merlin whispered.

XXXXX

Gaius however, wasn't as bad as Merlin though he would be.

He fussed over the boy, and made sure he wasn't in danger from any illnesses.

'I've missed you since you moved here.' Merlin whispered to him, when they were alone together.

'But you've been okay.' Gaius said. 'You have another family now, with Gwaine and Myrnin.'

'I don't think I'm friends with Arthur anymore.' Merlin admitted. 'We don't talk, we don't do anything, we hardly ever seen each other anymore.'

'You know that he had a soft spot for you Merlin.' Gaius told him, 'You just need to let him get over you moving on, on his own.'

'I moved on because he rejected me,' Merlin hissed, and suddenly he was engulfed in Gaius's arms and he was sobbing into his shoulder.

He stopped crying soon after that, but he continued talking, 'I'm happy he did now though, because if he hadn't, I wouldn't have Gwaine or Myrnin.'

'Everything happens for a reason,' Gaius comforted the younger warlock.

'He's going to be a proper little trouble maker when he's older,' Merlin said, trying to change the subject. 'He looks like Gwaine. But he has my magic.'

'What magic has he performed?' Gaius asked intrigued.

'He grew my hair to the bottom of my back.' Merlin said with a straight face. 'I couldn't cut it off either; it had to be cut off by magic.'

Gaius however, laughed, 'You look enough like a girl already! Changing your hair, you would have confused the whole of Camelot.'

Merlin glared. 'Yes. Funny! Well that was before he born.'

Well, what magic has he done since he was born?' Gaius said chuckling.

He's got a thing for hair.' Merlin hinted.

'What do you mean?' Gaius asked.

'Your hair is blue.' Merlin said, bursting out laughing.

XXXXX

Six days later, Gwaine returned to Camelot, beaten and broken, without Merlin or the child, and collapsed after he told King Arthur that they had been kidnapped.

XXXXX

Gwaine woke up a week later, with Gwen and Lancelot at his side.

'How do you feel?' Lancelot asked.

'Like Merlin has been trying to kill me with a wrench,' he smirked at his joke.

Gwen frowned at him and he said, 'When Merlin was pregnant I made an inappropriate joke and he nearly killed me with a magically conjured wrench.'

Gwen nodded. 'You would have deserved it.'

He turned to Lancelot and asked, 'Have you found him yet?'

'King Arthur is riding out to rescue him today.' He said.

'Then why are you here?' Gwaine asked.

'The King wanted to go on his own.' Lancelot said.

'Go after him!' Gwaine yelled suddenly, and Lancelot cleverly left the room.

XXXXX

Arthur found himself being shoved in a dungeon, where he hoped Merlin would be, seeing as that was where the guard had left him.

The guard locked him in and growled at him.

Arthur hissed back and the guard left them alone.

'Merlin?' he asked, as he approached the chained up figure at the back of the dungeon.

'Arthur?' he asked.

'Yeah it's me.' Arthur said, 'Why aren't you holding your son?'

'My hands are tied behind my back.' Merlin said, 'And I can't use magic.'

'What! Why?' Arthur asked shocked.

'There's a time period after giving birth that warlocks can't use magic in, it's dangerous, because they won't have used it for at least three months, and it'll be unstable, and has a high probability to kill. Plus, they put a magical block bracelet on my wrist.'

'Can't you take it off?' Arthur asked before remembering his hands were tied up. 'Never mind.'

Merlin laughed, 'Will you bring my son here please?'

Arthur moved from next to Merlin, and picked up Myrnin, and for the first time, he truly looked at him because he hadn't really wanted to look at him when Merlin and Gwaine had brought him the first time.

He really did have Merlin's eyes, a blue that could either be classed as ice water or cloudy sky. But instead of looking, as Merlin had wished, just like Gwaine, the child did have some of Merlin's features. Such as his mouth. And his nose. The rest of him though was just Gwaine, and it made Arthur's heart ache knowing that this could have been his child, if he hadn't thrown it all away.

'My, my,' A voice whispered behind them both and Arthur spun, cradling the baby against his chest, to stare at the person. 'What a sight to behold.'

'Who are you?' Arthur demanded.

'Merlin knows who I am.' The person in the shadows nodded to the chained figure.

Arthur looked over his shoulder to his ex manservant. 'Merlin, who is this?'

'I thought she was dead,' he whispered. 'I wasn't fast enough.'

'No you weren't, were you Emrys!' the person stepped forward and hissed. 'If you had used your magic I would have been able to stay in the village and live my life normally, but no! Because you saved yourself and didn't use your magic I was left on my own, out in the world because I had to use magic!'

'Then why are you doing this?' Arthur asked incredulously.

'A few years ago,' she started, 'I met a woman, she wanted revenge against Emrys, and because he ruined my life, I agreed to help her. She became my mother in all but blood. That was until he killed her.'

'Nimueh!' Merlin argued, 'I had to kill her! A life for a life the balance had to be protected.'

'There were three lives on sale that night Emrys.' The woman snarled. 'Yours, your mother's or the physician's.' She turned her back on them suddenly. 'Or you could just have kept to the Questing Beast's choice and let Arthur here die.'

Arthur just glared at the woman, and didn't say anything.

She smirked at them both. 'So silent.' She mocked them, 'If that because you don't want me to tell him anymore dear brother?'

'Brother?' Arthur asked.

'Yes,' Merlin said with venom coursing through his voice, 'Arthur, meet my twin sister, Mesodity.'

'You have a sister?' Arthur asked.

'Yes he has a sister.' Mesodity said sarcastically.

'So after you murdered my mother, I was shipped to this other woman, I have a feeling you know who that is.' Mesodity smirked.

'Morgause.' Arthur murmured.

'Yes.' The woman turned back to the wall, 'She carried on teaching me what I needed to know, and then lessons on the Pendragons and Merlin. She said I needed to defeat them, and I know why.' She turned back to them and snarled, 'You ruined my life' she screamed at her brother, 'You could have saved me!'

'I couldn't! I didn't have any control over my magic when I was six.' Merlin cried, waking up his child.

The baby screamed its head off, and Arthur could only watch as a wave spread out from both him and the child as the walls started to collapse on him.

'Merlin! What the hell just happened?' Arthur yelled.

'Magical beings can create waves to kill people by screaming,' Merlin panted, 'one of Mordred's favourite ways to attack when he's on his own.'

Merlin started yanking on his bindings and to his surprise they broke from the pressure from the collapsed ceiling.

'Will you check on her?' Merlin asked Arthur.

He nodded, handing the child to its parent.

He found the woman, and pulled on her arm until he found her wrist ad checked for a pulse. He didn't find one. He checked at her neck as well and didn't find anything there either. He sighed, and headed back to Merlin.

He squatted next to the younger man, and shook his shoulder to rouse him, but he didn't wake up.

'Merlin!' he yelled, Arthur's hands trying to find out what was wrong with his body. He pulled his hands away from his abdomen and found them sticky with Merlin's blood.

The King dragged the servant and the baby out of the rubble and put pressure on Merlin's wound. He normally wouldn't be happy that it was raining but for once he was pretty happy with it as he cupped a hand and waited for rain to fill in his palm. He threw the water in Merlin's face, who coughed and spluttered. 'Arthur?' he said in a daze. 'I think I'm in pain.'

'Never!' Arthur said sarcastically, while putting all his weight in his hands and pressed on Merlin's wound.

Merlin tried to bat his hands away but found he didn't have enough energy to even move his hands and settled for 'that's painful.'

'Is there anything we can do?' Arthur pressed.

'The dragon.' Merlin whispered. 'I can't die and leave Myrnin as a Dragonlord! The Dragon would take advantage!'

'Merlin! Call. The. Dragon!' Arthur punctuated.

'Kilgharrah,' Merlin called weakly.

Arthur pushed down harder while a tense five minutes went by, and Merlin lost more blood. 'Did he hear you?'

'Had to have.' Merlin gasped, 'Always hears the orders of the Dragonlords and always have to follow their orders.'

'You are abusing me now young warlock. As I have reminded you before, I am not a horse.' A voice above them boomed and it lowered to reveal the Great Dragon.

'Kilgharrah!' Merlin cried out.

'What do you want young warlock?' the dragon asked, setting down on the ground.

'Help me.' Merlin whimpered, the pain getting to him.

'I cannot heal.' The dragon informed the men. 'I can only take you to somebody that can.'

'Then do that!' Arthur yelled, pulling the whimpering child closer to him while pushing down on Merlin's wound.

The dragon grabbed Merlin in one hand and Arthur and Myrnin in the other. 'This will not take long.'

XXXXX

The dragon set them down just in the forestry outside of Ealdor.

Arthur nodded at the great beast, and said 'thank you.'

The dragon nodded, before flapping his wings and flying off, leaving Arthur alone, with a barely coherent Merlin, and an, thankfully, asleep baby.

He pulled Merlin up so that he could drag him along with as he walked and held the sleeping child in the opposite side.

It took him five excruciating minutes for him to drag the magician to his home town, and being the small town that it was everybody rushed out to greet them nearly immediately.

'Gaius!' Arthur near screamed.

'Here Sire.' The physician announced, heading straight for Merlin.

'Take him into the house.' He instructed, 'And lie him down flat, on the table.'

XXXXX

Gaius stepped out of the room, and collided with Arthur as he grabbed the elderly man by the shoulders.

'Is he ok? Will he survive?' Arthur asked frantically.

'He should be alright,' Gaius said gravely, 'But he has severe blood loss. It will take him a while to recover all the blood he needs.'

Arthur nodded, and demanded, 'Let me see him.'

Gaius nodded and let him through the door.

XXXXX

Arthur sat by the bedside of his best friend, waiting for him to wake up. He had been kidnapped from Ealdor two weeks previous. This time however, he was definitely going to survive.

XXXXX

They returned to Camelot a week later, after Merlin had woken up, and had been verified by Gaius as able to travel.

Gwen was now three months pregnant, ad had started to show slightly. Gwaine was fully healed, and he and Merlin had reunited with each other happily.

Arthur still watched.

XXXXX

Gwen had a little girl, who they named Ysandre. She and Arthur drifted further apart, and Gwen started sleeping with Lancelot. Arthur knew, but he didn't care. He let her have her comfort, even though he could never have his again.

When Gwen had her child, Merlin was three months pregnant again. Gwaine stayed with him all the way through, and they ended up having a baby girl as well. They named her Morgana, after the woman that Merlin had known before she had fallen victim to her magic.

XXXXX

Ysandre stared out at her kingdom, and her people. She, as the new Queen, now controlled all of Camelot. Her mother had passed away many years ago, taking Lancelot's heart with her. Her father had died a lonely death, much like his own father's, three weeks previously.

He had never gotten over Merlin, who still worked as the Court Sorcerer, looking as young as ever. He was waiting for his children to have the skills that they needed before passing the job over to the next generation. Gwaine had been begging him to relinquish control for years, and to travel with him. Gwaine, as Merlin's family, had the same gift of immortal life that Merlin now possessed. They would both live until something, or somebody killed them.

He would soon pass his job on to Morgana. It would have gone to Myrnin, but he could only hold one position in the court, and he would rather be King than the Sorcerer.

Even though the Dragon had told Merlin that his destiny was entwined with Arthur's, it had been in a different way to what both Arthur and Merlin had imagined. They may have been entwined, but it only brought their children closer.

THE END

**Thank you for reading, again. This was all started due to my best friend, and I hope you enjoyed it. **


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